Formal opening of the Govan-Partick bridge to be marked by community events

The bridge will be opened by ministers from the Scottish and UK Governments, the Leader of Glasgow City Council and local school children. The £29.5million Glasgow City Region City Deal project - funded by the Scottish and UK Governments - re-establishes the connection between Govan and Partick, with the bridge crossing between Water Row on the south side and Pointhouse Quay on the north.

Following the opening of the bridge, there will be community events on both banks of the Clyde to celebrate that weekend - the Clydebuilt Festival will take place on the north bank on 7 and 8 September beside the Riverside Museum, with the Footbridge Festival on the south bank at Water Row, Govan Cross and Govan Road, on 7 September.

The bridge will link be a link between communities, and connect a number of visitor attractions and institutions in the city. The crossing is also part of the active travel route between the University of Glasgow's campus at Gilmorehill and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

This is one of the longest opening pedestrian and cycle bridges in Europe, with a width of six metres and two spans - the moving span, which weighs 650 tonnes, is 99 metres long and uses the South Pier at Water Row as its access; and the fixed span, which weighs 45 tonnes and is 15.7 metres long.

In addition to the construction of the fabricated steel cable stayed opening swing bridge, the project - which began in April 2022 - also featured demolition of a section of quay wall and access stairs at Water Row, Govan and the infilling of the disused Govan Ferry Inlet at Water Row.

The Govan-Partick Bridge is part of public and private sector investments in the area, including the £38million UK Government funding to help the University of Glasgow develop the Clyde Waterfront Innovation Campus next to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital; the Water Row housing and commercial development; and proposals for more than 1,000 homes at Yorkhill Quay.

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, said: "September will be a milestone in the modern history of these two great communities. It will also be a milestone for Glasgow and the wider city-region. Our riverside and the communities either side of it are home to the biggest economic opportunities in Europe, but also many of Scotland's biggest social challenges. Reconnecting Govan and Partick can help unlock the potential along the Clyde, create more opportunities for the people who live and work there, and continue the transformation of these areas. Glaswegians often tell us how they would like to see the Clyde having a more prominent role in the life of the city. This new riverside landmark does just that."

Minister for Investment Tom Arthur said:"The Govan-Partick Bridge will unlock opportunities for people living on both sides of the River Clyde. It will link up existing walking and cycling routes in Govan and Partick and enable more businesses to trade across the river to drive growth in western Glasgow."

UK Government Minister for Scotland Kirsty McNeill said: "Kick-starting growth and delivering economic stability is at the heart of the UK Government's priorities. It's great news for Glasgow that this UK and Scottish Government funded bridge linking Govan and Partick will soon be open, boosting the economy, bringing communities together and supporting redevelopment."

The Glasgow City Region City Deal will see both the Scottish and UK Governments each provide £500million of funding for infrastructure projects.

Members of the public will be able to cross the bridge from mid-morning on Saturday, 7 September.